They’d visited Billy in the hospital and, afterwards, paid a call. A stone through the bay window brought Billy’s dad out, using cuss words they’d never heard before. They stood their ground, spread across the front lawn. “You ain’t gonna hurt Billy no more,” Monroe said, breaking the silence. He was the oldest (at 14) and it was right that he should speak first. More swearing and some drunken spittle. “We know what you did,” Amy said plainly, “and you’re not gonna do that anymore.” He took a step towards her with his open hand raised, and the first rock hit him hard in the left temple, sending him stumbling backwards. The rock had been thrown by Harley Brooks, the youngest (at 6), who’d been practicing in the barn with balloons for over a week.

Sharon quickly found the 800 number for customer service, relieved that the website promised the line was manned 24 hours a day. She hung up once out of shyness, then twice more out of frustration with the phone menu selections, but finally picked “life event” over “accident” and got a live representative. He was very […]

Temple had pulled the car over for doing 108 in a 65 zone. He had never seen a car like that – like someone had poured liquid night into a mold and stuck an engine and some wheels on it. He sat in his cruiser, apprehensive; the guy had clearly been willing to comply (he […]